1. Field Of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with an elasticized garment which is well suited for use as an incontinence control garment, such as a diaper, and more particularly as a disposable diaper. The present invention is in particular concerned with an elasticized garment in which the elastic layer is stretch-bonded to an outer cover.
2. Description Of The Related Art
Composite fabrics comprising at least one layer of nonwoven textile fabric mechanically secured to an elastic layer are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,189 discloses laminate materials comprising an inner layer of elastic material, needle punched at a plurality of locations to a nonwoven textile fabric layer. The superposed layers are then stretched to permanently stretch the nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric layer is stated to exhibit increased bulk by virtue of the relaxation of its permanently stretched fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,136 discloses a composite fabric comprising a layer of an elastic or resilient material and an overlying layer of fabric, for example, a woven fabric. The elastic fabric may be a polyurethane foam or a nylon woven to impart stretchability or the like and, as disclosed in the paragraph bridging columns 1 and 2 of the patent, an adhesive may be applied in a predetermined pattern to the elastic material which is then stretched, and while in a stretched or elongated state, the overlying fabric is contacted therewith and held in pressure engagement for a time sufficient to ensure adhesion of the two layers. When the applied adhesive is dry, tension on the backing material is released causing the overlying non-elastic fabric to gather in the areas outlined by the adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,797 discloses the manufacture of a resilient cellulosic wadding product attained by laminating paper and a prestretched polyurethane foam material. An adhesive is applied in a desired pattern as illustrated in the drawings and the paper is laminated to either side of the prestretched polyurethane foam material. The paper layers may be wetted to reduce their resistance to compression by retraction of the prestretched polyurethane foam after lamination of the paper layers thereto, thereby providing a creped effect as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,070 discloses a disposable diaper construction in which a series of elastic bands or threads extend transversely of the diaper in order to impart a bowl-like shape to the central or crotch portion of the diaper. U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,086 shows a diaper construction in which transversely disposed elasticized waistbands are utilized to provide a bowed or bowl-like configuration to the diaper.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,337 discloses a corrugated diaper having longitudinally extending corrugations preferably formed across the entire transverse width of the diaper. The corrugations may be held in place by glue dots (item 15 in FIG. 3) or by stitching.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,097 discloses a child's training panty comprising a fabric backing sheet 11, 12 and an absorbent pad 24 between which a plastic lining 27 is disposed to cover generally the medial portion of the panty.